Sand tester



J'. L. BADGETT SAND TESTER Filed Aug. 18 1930 ,Illa-2.2.. 'il

Il," "Il '.1 VA 'nl ff y April-25, 1933.

Patented Apr. '25, 1933" UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE JAMES I1. BADGETT,. OF BOLIIN'G, TEXAS, ASSAIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH T0 W. C." MCMASTERS AND ONE-FOURTH T J. E. POMEROY, OF -PASADENA, TEXAS SAND TESTER I Application tiled Augustl, 1930. Serial No. 475,976.

This invention relates to a sand tester. sections are threaded, said coupling 3 hav- One object of the invention is to provide ing an internally threaded box 4 at its upper a tool' of the character described that may end. The lower end of the barrel l is pro- I be readily attached to a tubular operating vided with the stuffing box 5 and connected 5string such as a drill stem and lowered into to the upper end thereof there is a reducing 55 a well, through the drilling iuid therein and nipple 6 into which the upperend of the opwhereby a strata thought to contain oil may eratlng' stem, or string `of pipe, 7 may be be tested for the presence or absence of -oil threaded. l without the necessity of setting casing, thus There is, a tubular test stem 8 which is 10 dispensing with the setting of the casing if fitted closely through the coupling 3 and 60 the oil be not found. y through the stufling box and whose lower end Another object of the invention is to proterminates in ay perforated probe 9. This vide a tool of the character described that test stem carries a suitable packer 10 of any may be lowered into the wellV while lclosed preferred structure, located beneath the baragainst the entrance of drilling Huid, and rel and which is provided toform afluid tight 65 seated in the rat hole if there be a rat joint withv the wall of the well to restrain hole and the test made, and which is of such the drilling fluid above from entering the construction that `if there be no rat hole, Strata being tested. the strata to be tested may be pierced and the Fitted closely within the upper section of test made. y the barrel and connected to the upper end 70 A still further feature of the invention reof the stem 8. there is a coupling member 11 sides in the provisions of a testing tool of the 'whose lower end is formed with an outwardly character described whereby asample of oil threadedI pin 12, which is adapted to be from an oil bearing strata may be obtained screwed into the box 4. i

and trapped, and withdrawn to the ground The upper endV of this coupling member 75 surface ina substantially uncontaminated 11 is provided with suitable antifriction state. l bearings 13 for a purpose to be hereinafter With the above and other objects in view, explalned. the invention has particular relation to ceri Incorporated into the stem 8 there is an tain novel features of construction, operation inside coupling 14 having a fluid passage- 80 and arrangement of parts, an example of way 15 therethrough whose lower end is enwhich is given in this specification and illuslarged as at 16, forming a valve seat 17 trated in the accompanying drawing, wh'erewhich is controlled bythe downwardly in: opening valve 18. Threaded into the lo'w- Figure 1 shows a fragmentary vertical er end of the coupling 14 there is a tubular 85 sectional view of the tool in position to be nipple 19 whose upper end is reducedvand lowered into the well bore preparatory to f provided 'with perforations 20 and which making a test. forms a support for the coil spring 21 which Figure 2 shows a fragmentary vertical secin turn supports the valve 18 and normally 40 tional view of the probe, forming the lower holds said valve closed. 9o end of the tool, and n The stem 8 is provided with two series of Figure 3 shows a fragmentary vertical secperforations 22, 23 one above and the other tional view of the tool in position to receive beneath the valve mechanism above dea sample. scribed and as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

Referring now more particularly to the In operation the tool "is assembled as drawing, wherein like numerals of reference shown in Figure 1 and let down into the designate similar parts in each of the figures, welly bore. The valve 18 will be closed while the numerals 1 and 2 designate upper and the tool is being lowered and will exclude the r lower sections of the barrel which are condrilling fluid from the sample chamber i0 ncctcd by an inside coupling 3 to which said above. Itis common 4to reduce the lower end 100 of the bore forming a rat hole 24 into the oil bearing strata and in case such rat hole is formed, the packer 10 will land in the upper end of the rat hole and form a luld tight joint therewith with the erforated probe 9 downin the rat hole. In case no rat hole has been formed the probe 9 may be forced down into the strata to be tested and the packer 10 will serve the same purpose as that above indicated. With the probe 9 in the formation to be tested the around the valve mechanism out through-the lower openings 23 and up through the barrel and back into the stem throughthe openings 22, and thence on up into the drill stem 7. While the test is being completed the drill stem 7 may be rotated on the bearings 13 to prevent the stem from becoming stuck in the bore and if desired the drilling fluid in the well maintained under pressure or may be circulated while the test is being made. Thereupon the stem 7 and the barrel attached thereto may be elevated until.

the stuiiing box 5 is above the perforations 23 and if desired the coupling .3 rmayr be screwedagain onto the pin l2 and the tool then withdrawn from the bore. The spring 21 is strong enough to hold the valve 18 closed so that the sample taken will be trapped in the sample chamber above said valve 18 and the sample thus trapped ma be withdrawn to the ground surface wit the tool in a substantially uncontaminated state for inspection.

In case pressure is encountered in the well and a blow out isthreatened, fluid may be pumped down through the stem 7 and through the tool, the valve 18 openin to permit this, and the drilling uid in the ore thus' placed under pressure to counteract the gas pressure and to prevent such blow out.

When a sample has been taken as hereinabove explained and the barrel pulled upwardly into its upper position, preparatory to withdrawing the tool, the drilling fluid in the wellbore will enter through the openingsy 23 and pass on vdown through the probe 9 so as to equalize the pressure above and below the packer 10 to the end that said packer may be readily lifted olf of its seat in the rat hole and the tool withdrawn.

The drawing and description disclose what is now considered to bea preferred form of the invention by way ofillustration,

only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is: v

1. A'tool of the character described comprising a barrel, a tubular operating stem to the lower end of which the barrel is attached, a test stem having upper and lower openings and having a releasable, threaded connection with and ,extending beneath the barrel vand whose lower end 1s .formed into a probe. adapted to be inserted into strata to be tested in a well bore and whose upper end has a sample chamber, sealing means between the test stem and barrel, said test stem upon re-r lease of said connection being movable into one position,vv relative to the barrel, to carry said sealing means beneath the openings to block said openings and to thereby effect the closing of said chamber to said strata and into another position to carry the sealing means between the openings to open said openin s and chamber to said str-ata to permit fluid to flow from said strata into said chamber. p

2. A tool of the character described com-- prising a barrel, a tubular operating stem to the lower end of which said barrel is attached, a tubular test stem associated with 4`and extending beneath said barrel and whose lower end is formed into a probe adapted to be insertedinto strata to be tested in a well bore, said test stem having a sample chamber provided with an outlet passageway, a valve normally closing said passageway, sealing -means between the test stem and barrel, there being openings in the test stem one above and the othen beneath said -sealing means, said test stem being movable into one position, relative to thebarrel, to carry said openings above said sealing means to thereby eiect the communication of said strata with said chamber to permit the flow of fluid from the strata into said chamber, and said test stem being movable into another position, relative to said barrel, to interpose the sealing means between said openings to therebyv trap said fluid in said chamber. v

3. A tool of the character described comprising a barrel, a tubular operating stem to the lower end of which the barrel is attached, a test stem associated with and extending beneath the barrel whose lower end is formed into a perforated probe, adapted to be inserted into a stratum in a well bore to be tested, said test stem having a sample chamber provided with an outlet` a back pressure valve normally -closing saidou'tlet. sealing means carried by the barrel through which the test stem works, a packer carried by the test stem for forming a seal with the walls of the bore to exclude fluid in the bore above from said stratumv beneath, said stem being movable into either of two positions relative to the barrel and having a iiuidV passageway and openings one above and the other beneath said sealing means whereby said passageway is open 'when the stem is in one of said positions to permit fluid to flow from the stratum upwardly through said stem into said chamber, said'openingsbeing movable above the sealing means to effect the closing of said passageway when the stem is in said other position to trap said fluid in said chamber.

4. A tool of the character described comprising a barrel, a tubular operating stem to the lower end of which the barrel is attached, a test stem associated with and extending beneath the barrel, said extended end being adapted to be inserted into a stratum to be tested in a well bore, means on the test stem for forming a fluid tight joint between Said stem and the walls of the bore, a normally closed downwardly opening valve in said test stem, said test stem being movable into either of two positions relative to the barrel and having openings one above and another beneath said valve, said openings permitting the flow of fluid from said stratum into the test stem above said valve when said test stem is in one of said positions, packing between the test stem and barrel to prevent the back-flow of said fluid when said test stem is in said other position.

5. A tool of the character described comprising a barrel, a tubular'operating stem to the lower end of which the barrel is attached, a test stem within and whose lower end is extended beneath said barrel, said extended end being adapted to be inserted into a stratum to be tested in a well bore, means for releasably attaching the upper end of said test stem rigidly to the barrel, a packer on the test stem beneath the barrel, a downwarldly opening valve in the test stem normally preventing the upward flow of fluid through said test stem, said test stem being movable into-either of two positions relative to the barrel and having openings so located relative to the valve as to permit fluid toflow from said stratum upwardly through the tool -past said valve, said test stem and barrel being formed to prevent the back-flow of said fluid when the test stem is in the other of said positions. t

6. A sand tester comprising a single string of pipe, a barrel at the lower end thereof, a test stem associated with and extending be- 'neath the barrel and whose lower end has an inlet opening, said tool being provided with a sample chamber having an outlet through which a circulating fluid may be delivered from said string through said stem into the bore, means normally closingsaid outlet, sealing means between the barrel and stem, a packer carried by the test stem for forming`a seal with the walls of the bore to exclude fluid in the bore above from a stratum beneath, said stem having a fluid passageway and openings and being movable, relative to the barrel, into upper and lower positions whereby when said stem is in the upper osition the openings will be above the sea ing means and fluid in the stratum will be permitted to flow upwardly through said stem into said chamber and whereby when said stem is in its lower position one opening will be above the sealing means and one opening below the sealing means and the passageway will be closed to trap the fluid exclude fluid in the bore above from a stratum beneath, said stem having a fluid passageway and openings and beingmovable, re'- lative to the barrel, into upper and lower positions whereby when said stem is in the -upper position the openings will be above the sealing means and fluid in the stratum will be permitted to `flow upwardly through said stem into said chamber and whereby when said stem is in its lower position .one

`opening will be above the sealing means and one opening below the sealing means Vand the passageway will be closed to trap the lu1d 1n said chamber.

8. A sand tester comprising a single strm of pipe, a barrel at the lower end thereo a test stem associated with and extending beneath the barrel and whose lower end has `an inlet opening, said tool being provided w1th a simple chamber having an outlet through which a circulating fluid may be delivered from said string through said stem into the bore, means normally closing said outlet, sealing means between the barrel and stem, a packer carried by the test stem for forming a seal with the walls of the bore to eX- clude fluid in the bore above from a stratum beneath, said stem having a iiuid passageway and openings and being movable, relative to the barrel, into upper and lower positions whereby when said stem is in the upper position the openings will be above the sealing JAMES L. BADGETT. 

